Journeying.

The moment he stood up, he heard the system's voice,

[ Ding! Ding!]

[ First quest]

[ Get to the 'Lotus sage academy' without getting bitten]

[ Quest reward: +100 Exp]

[ Failure to accomplish quest: Get bitten by zombies]

"Get bitten by zombies? What do you mean get bitten by zombies?".

[ Host, it's simple. If you don't make it to the Lotus sage academy, then you got bitten by zombies...you became one of them]

Hugo rubbed his jaw with his fingers and uttered, "Ohh, understood".

[ Your journey begins]

Hugo breathed in and out, then he walked further, peeped left and right to see if any zombies were lurking, he saw none, so he came out of his hiding. He was new to this world, so he wasn't aware of the boulevard, he doesn't even know if he should take left or right...he doesn't have a single idea on how he could get to the academy.

The system said she was gonna be his guide, so he called out on the system,

"System, which road do I take? Left or right?".

[ Take left and keep going, no cornering. Be careful of zombies. Don't worry, I'll alert you when I notice one or a set of them]

Hugo nodded his head and began sauntering, he was very cautious. It was nighttime, but he wasn't feeling sleepy, how could he be feeling sleepy in this situation? Maybe sleep would come later. The system's instruction was to keep going and no cornering, and that's what he was doing.

He's been walking for some time now, but he hadn't heard anything from the system, hope it knows what it was doing. He was expecting it to have given him instruction on where else he was gonna follow, but it didn't. So Hugo just took it like he was to keep going straight. But to be sure, he called out on the system and inquired of it,

"System, am I to keep going straight? Or do I have to corner anywhere?".

[ Host, keep going straight, I'll alert you when the need to corner arises]

Hugo nodded his head and kept on going straight. He's passed several junctions now, and he's sighted several zombies. But luckily for him, none of the zombies were facing him, and most of them were in the streets of each junction, they weren't standing in his way. But if he had dared to make any sound, then he was doomed...whether he did it on purpose or it was a mistake.

While sauntering, something caught his attention, he couldn't take his eyes off it. He kept on staring at the top of a two-storey building, but his eyes weren't on the building, his gaze was fixed to one of the apartments of the building. He could see through the window of the apartment 'cause of the light illuminating it.

And he could see a man hanging in the air, his legs were moving to and fro slightly. The man wasn't an air bender that could make himself float on the air, so definitely, something was making him hang in the air. A rope was tied to his neck, and it was hung to the ceiling fan...the man committed suicide.

Hugo didn't even need to think too much to know the reason why the man took his life, he did it 'cause of the zombie apocalypse. It's better for him to take his life than for those zombies to bite him, then he'll become one of them. Hugo just shook his head as he continued sauntering. Walking some meters again, he sighted something that almost made him utter, 'Again?'.

He wasn't sure if that's what he was seeing, so he decided to walk further and confirm what he was seeing. He walked closer to the car and put his face to its glass, and he confirmed that what he was thinking was true...it was the same suicide case. The lady in the car had blood in her chest, and a pistol was beside her.

Seeing the pistol, Hugo began to understand something, seems like this metal stuff was a dangerous object that could end the life of someone. This was the second time he was seeing a pistol, the first time he saw it was when he found himself in this world about some minutes ago. And the two ladies that had the pistol beside them were dead, one had blood on her forehead, and the other on the chest.

He was starting to understand the purpose of the pistol. This one killed herself 'cause of the apocalypse also, and so as the first lady he saw when he found himself inside this world. Their deaths were the same, they killed themselves inside a car using a gun. The only difference was, one shot herself in the forehead, while the other shot herself in the chest.

Hugo shook his head once again and continued sauntering. Walking straight for minutes more and reaching a certain junction, he heard the system's voice,

[ The straight walking ends, take left]

Hugo did as the system instructed, he cornered left and continued sauntering. Walking for about a minute, he heard the system's voice once again,

[ Ding! Ding!]

[ Alert! There are three incoming zombies, I repeat...three incoming zombies. They aren't standing, they are strolling towards you]

[ Hide or defend yourself, best option...hide]

Hugo couldn't even see the zombies the system was speaking of, it was dusk, and there were no lights on this street, so he couldn't see far. But he didn't need to see the zombies before he'll do what the system tells him? Immediately, he began glancing around to see if he'll sight any safe place to hide.

He sighted one, it was just like an opening, it wasn't too deep. Without wasting time, he ran into it, and somehow, his running made sounds. That attracted the zombies, and they ran forward, but unfortunately for them, they wouldn't be able to suck blood...he was in hiding already. He waited for them to walk past, then he peeped to make sure that they were gone, and they were.

Then he called out on the system and inquired in a low tone of voice,

"System, are there any lurking zombies? Am I free to go out now?".

[ You are free to go out now]

"OK". Hugo uttered as he came out of his hiding and continued sauntering.

He journeyed and journeyed, and the system kept on guiding him. He hid where he needed to hide, he doesn't want to get bitten. And after some more time of sauntering, he was feeling three things at the same time. His eyes were getting heavy, he was feeling a little sleepy. His body on its own was getting weary, he could feel his legs shaking a little. And lastly, he could feel the slight rumbling of his stomach, he was feeling a little hungry.

He hadn't sighted a grocery store since he's been sauntering, or maybe he's walked past one without noticing it. But the hunger wasn't strong enough to add to the weakness he was feeling in his body. He was about to pass what seemed like a narrow passage, he was following the system's instruction. But there was a problem, four zombies were standing in that passage. Two females and two males, what the f**k was he gonna do now?

He was expecting the system to redirect him, maybe guide him to another path he was gonna follow since this passage had been blocked by zombies, but he heard nothing...no redirection. What does that mean? He'll have to pass through this passage, he'll have to find a way. He can't fight them? Fighting them would create noise, and that would attract more zombies.

So, what was he gonna do? Simple, since they were drawn to sound, he'll just have to divert their attention to a sound he was soon to make, and before they'll run coming, he'll take cover. So the first thing was to find where he'll hide once they come running. He began glancing around, and he found one, it was a good hiding place.

Then he began searching around for any object he'll throw to a surface that would make sound and attract the zombies' attention. He found a short iron rod on the floor, then he picked it up and strolled to where he was gonna hide once the zombies start running over. Glancing further, he sighted a trash bin.

An idea came to his head immediately, and he smiled. He was gonna throw the iron rod to the trash bin, and it was sure to make sound. Calculating and aiming well, he threw the rod, and it hit the trash bin and fell to the ground.

BAM! CLANG!

Hugo took cover immediately, then he peeped, the zombies were running towards the trash bin. Yes! his plan worked.